Man United Complete Permanent Transfer of Goalkeeper Radek Vitek to Middlesbrough
Radek Vitek Moves Permanently from Manchester United to Middlesbrough
Manchester United have finalized the permanent transfer of goalkeeper Radek Vitek to Middlesbrough. The deal is valued at up to £14 million and includes a 35% sell-on clause, matching rights, and a buy-back option for the Old Trafford club.
The 22-year-old keeper spent last season on loan with Bristol City in the Championship, where he kept 12 clean sheets across 41 appearances. His performances caught the eye, leading to this permanent move after it became clear he preferred not to remain as a backup at United.
United issued an official statement confirming the transfer, which is pending registration:
"Radek has been a model professional throughout his time with the club and a popular member of our Academy squads. United would like to place on record our thanks to Radek for his time at the club, and wish him all the best in his next step."
Vitek originally joined Manchester United in 2020 but never featured in a competitive first-team match. Instead, he gained experience through loans at Accrington Stanley, BW Linz, and Bristol City. Standing 6ft 6in tall, the goalkeeper participated in United’s 2026-27 pre-season, but his ambition for regular starting duties made a permanent move inevitable.
The goalkeeping pecking order at United is now set: Senne Lammens is confirmed as number one, new signing Karl Darlow is number two, and Tom Heaton holds the third spot. Meanwhile, Andre Onana returned to Trabzonspor on loan, and Altay Bayindir moved temporarily to Celta Vigo.
Speaking about his switch to Middlesbrough, Vitek said:
"It feels great to be here. This is a new challenge for me and I’m really excited to be a Boro player. The project here is very impressive because you can clearly see the ambition and where the club wants to go. I’m delighted to now be part of that. The mission is clear: to go to the Premier League. I think everyone at the club has that mindset, and I want the same thing. Now I just can’t wait to get started."
Middlesbrough now have their goalkeeper, and the next test will be whether Vitek can help push for promotion in the Championship. For ongoing updates on the Championship and major transfer news, keep following TipsGG.
